Architecture firm Brisac Gonzalez has designed a multi-storey car park in Bordeaux where vehicles sit prominently between ground-floor shops and roof-top housing.

The proposal for a 450-space car park by Brisac Gonzalez features 1400 square metres of retail space at street level and 19 apartments surrounded by gardens on the roof, adding extra levels of functionality that will animate the building outside of daytime hours.

Surfaces inside the four storeys of parking will be painted in bright colours and combined with a customised lighting scheme that will be visible from street level through the building's open sides.

"Rather than introducing a facade, we chose to design a vibrantly painted ceiling," explained Gonzalez. "The car park levels will be less hermetic as there are no facades. There will be less details and materials to consider, which will have a positive impact on the construction cost."

Originally commissioned by developers Vinci and ADIM, the project is part of the Euratlantique development that aims to transform a 738-hectare area encompassing the municipalities of Bordeaux, Bègles and Floriac into an international business centre.

The car park has received preliminary approval from Euratlantique and is awaiting a construction permit to be passed in the summer. It is scheduled for completion in 2016.

Renders are by ArtefactoryLab.

Here's some more information from the architects:

Car park with rooftop housing in Bordeaux by Brisac Gonzalez

Brisac Gonzalez has submitted designs for a 450 space carpark in Bordeaux. The 16 000m2 project commissioned by Vinci / ADIM comprises 1400m2 retail on the ground floor and 19 rooftop apartments including 5 duplexes ranging from one to three bedrooms with generous gardens and terraces.

Inside the 4 storeys of parking a dynamic atmosphere will arise from the interplay of vibrantly painted ceilings, lighting scheme and the reflective surfaces of automobiles. The open floors afford natural light and ventilation, with expansive river views.

The project is part of the 738 hectare Euratlantique project that is spread across three municipalities Bordeaux, Bègles and Floriac. The site is close the banks of the Garonne river. The carpark is due for completion in 2016.

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Looks great and I’m really impressed by the housing on the top. More buildings within cities should have this kind of mix. They’re right that it will bring vitality throughout the day and night.

The only problem is the slightly dishonest renders. What is stopping those cars – which look beautifully “on display” – from driving off the edge of the floor plate and crashing into the ground/passers-by below? I can’t imagine any responsible authorities allowing toughened glass balustrades, that’d never stop a vehicle. So there’ll be barriers of some form, which will block the view of the vehicles from below.
It’s a good design, there’s no need to fake these things.

dastroboy

If you look closer at the renders you can see the guard ropes. I’m not too sure that what we see is glass, looks like open space to me.

munchman

I think most car parks offer “activities after hours”, just not of the legal variety.

gggg

“activities after hours” – what as in dedicated dogging booths!?

Arjay Cee

Life in the car park can be yours!

Who wants to live above car noise and car fumes? Who wants to listen to the trucks pulling up to resupply the stores?

Like so much new urbanism that puts commerce and transportation first, questions of liveable domesticity end up last in the equation.

https://www.expressoparking.com/ Expresso Parking

The unit had 2012 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of 210 million
euros.